1954-06-09: Martin PBM Mariner (84779) — United States Navy - USN — Yakushima Island, Japan

17 fatalitiesYakushima Island, JapanFlight

An aircraft traveling from Iwakuni to Hong Kong crashed into a mountainside on Yakushima Island, resulting in no survivors.

What happened

During an international flight proceeding from Iwakuni toward Hong Kong, the aircraft struck the slope of a mountain situated on Yakushima Island. The impact occurred while the plane was in the enroute phase of its journey. There were 17 fatalities among the occupants of the aircraft, with no survivors reported from the crash site.

Findings

Investigations into the accident indicated that the crew failed to identify the mountain ahead of them. It appears the flight crew was unaware that the plane's altitude was inadequate for the terrain being traversed. The primary factor in the accident was controlled flight into terrain.

Probable cause

The aircraft struck a mountainside because the crew failed to maintain sufficient altitude to clear the terrain.